As shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,540; 5,799,095; and 6,088,465; incorporated by reference herein, a hearing instrument may be provided with electrical contacts in the faceplate to facilitate programming and adjustment. For in-the-ear hearing instruments, internal space, i.e, within the instrument, is at a premium and the contacts necessarily occupy some portion of this space. To fit properly and comfortably within the user's ear, the size of the instrument must be kept as small as possible.